The 23nd gathering of fly tyers known as The North Toledo Bend Rendezvous will be held Nov. 2-4 at the North Toledo Bend State Park, near Zwolle, LA, http://pages.suddenlink.net/w/Rendez/indexR.html . If you’ve never been, you’ve missed out!

Each fall for the last 22 years, fly tyers and their families from across the region have met at the Group Camp and Lodge on the shores of Toledo Bend Lake in this beautiful star of the Louisiana Park System. The Lodge has a large stone fireplace on one end and a full commercial kitchen on the other, five sleeping cabins/dormitories, and a centrally located (clean) bath house with hot showers!

Unlike a FFF EXPO/Conclave, where you sit and watch other tyers demonstrate their skills and abilities, this event was founded "by tyers for tyers" to sit down and “tie with” other tyers and to do “hands-on teaching” of tyers of all levels. Actually, this event is where many beginners started their tying and novices have honed their skills enough to become invited tyers at FFF EXPO’s/Fly Fairs.

If the weather’s good, we’ll be fishing on the lake and casting on the lawn. If the weather’s little chilly or wet, we’ll stoke up the Lodge’s big stone fireplace and just tie more flies… There are no programs, no set schedules, no responsibilities, or timetables… You don’t even have to tie a fly! You can just settle in on one the large wooden rockers in front of the big fireplace and read a book or grab a rocker out on the Lodge’s large front porch with a big stogie and/or your favorite “adult beverage” and enjoy the company of friends and listen to the music, as a couple of folks always seem to be strumming a guitar or pickin’ on mandolin; or you can be one of the hard-core crew that "ties all night"....

Come alone or bring your significant other or better yet, bring the entire family – this is “kids friendly” venue! With no traffic, tv’s (except some of us will sneak away to once again meet up to watch the LSU Alabama Game on Sat. afternoon!), no video games, or other electronic gear, the kids tend to play games, chase balls, run through the woods or to the park’s playground, fish/play along the lake’s shallows, tie flies, or "flow thru”… You know like kids are supposed to do. The kids have fun and Mom gets a break. The non-tying wives and children are an integral part of this gathering. It wouldn’t be the same without them!

This is an inexpensive weekend with the fees designed to “break even” with a family fee about $50/weekend or $25/day or night and a single's fee of about $40/weekend or $20/day or night, including all your meals, desserts, coffee, ice, lodging, park entrance fees, and boat launching from when you arrive on Friday until we head out Sunday morning! But be sure to bring your own bedding, towels, drinks and at least one "cover dish" type entree... Oh, and come hungry, as the food alone is more than worth the trip… hot Dutch oven cobblers, chili’s, briskets, Pinsel’s Famous Spaghetti, smoked boudin, and lots of other goodies!

Walter & Linda McLendon of the Pineywoods Fly Fishers head up the event and are always pleased to answer your questions. 936-875-3726, waltermcl@suddenlink.net

Let this be the year that you and your family decide to give the original “Rendezvous” a try. If you ever make it once - I bet that you, and your entire family, will become regulars. Kyle Moppert